The Denver Metro Chamber Leadership Foundation program alumni have cast their votes and selected Dr. Ryan Ross, dean of Student Development and Retention with the Community College of Denver, as the 2016 9NEWS Leader of the Year.
Ross has committed his career to advocating for education equity in Colorado. As dean of Student Development and Retention at the Community College of Denver, Ross ensures students have the support services they need to be successful and complete their degrees and certificates. Ross’ passion continues to increase awareness of the barriers facing low-income students in Colorado.
“I am totally humbled being named 9NEWS Leader of the Year. This is an honor I hope to really live up to one day,” Ross said immediately following the award presentation. “I am thankful for the support of so many people, especially my wife and kiddos, and am truly inspired by the thought of what leaders in Denver can accomplish working collectively.”
Watch the video below to learn more about Ross.
The 9NEWS Leader of the Year award celebrates outstanding and inspirational leadership in Colorado. In addition to Ross, this year’s other two finalists were:
- Heather Lafferty, executive director and CEO of Habitat for Humanity of Metro Denver
- Michael Mitchel, executive director and commander of Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 1 and managing partner of OC Consulting
Selected from a group of impressive nominees, the three finalists each exemplify what it means to be a leader and possess a strong passion for positive community change. For the first time in the history of the 9NEWS Leader of the Year Award, alumni of the Leadership Foundation’s many programs chose the winner through an online voting process.
Learn more about how you can cultivate leadership skills and grow your network by participating in the many programs of the Leadership Foundation.